Rockers drop doubleheader at Long Island

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. – The High Point Rockers dropped both ends of a doubleheader on Sunday, falling 4-2 in the opener and 8-3 in the nightcap. The Rockers are now 16-6 on the season and hold a half-game lead over Gastonia in the Atlantic League’s South Division.

In the nightcap, the Rockers struck for three runs in the top of the first off Ducks’ starter Stephen Woods, Jr. (W, 3-0). After D.J. Burt led off the game with a walk, Michael Martinez singled, moving Burt to third. John Nogowski then grounded to short and the Ducks retired Martinez at second as Burt scored. After Nogowski stole second he came around to score on a single by Zander Wiel. Wiel would make it a 3-0 game by scoring on a sac fly by Ryan Grotjohn.

The score remained that way until the fourth when the Ducks scored twice off starter Liam O’Sullivan (L, 1-1). Alex Dickerson hit a sac fly and Jesse Russo had an RBI single to make it a 3-2 ballgame.

Long Island chased O’Sullivan in the fifth when the first four hitters greeted him with base hits and the Ducks would go on to score six times for an 8-3 advantage. Daniel Murphy hit a three-run homer that prompted the Rockers to bring in A.J. Cole who gave up the final two runs of the inning.

The Rockers had seven hits in the second game with Burt and Wiel each accounting for two. O’Sullivan allowed seven hits and six runs over his four innings of work.

In the first game, the Rockers dropped a 4-2 decision to the Ducks. High Point starter Chris Rollins (L, 0-1) allowed three runs in the first and a single run in the second. Rollins was signed by the Rockers on Sunday as an emergency starter. With two starters on the Injured List in Neil Ramirez and Craig Stem, and the recent contract purchase of lefty starter Ben Braymer, the Rockers were in need of a Sunday starter. Rollins started one game for the Rockers in 2022 as well.

High Point’s two runs came on an RBI single by Nogowski in the third inning that followed a Martinez double. Grotjohn hit a solo homer in the seventh. Long Island’s Joe Iorio (W, 2-2) went six innings and allowed four hits while striking out three. High Point had five hits spread out among five different players.

The Rockers return home on Tuesday, May 23 when they will host a doubleheader with the Lancaster Barnstormers. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 at Truist Point.